Key West resident explains why he decided to ride out Hurricane Irma

A Key West resident explains why he's staying put during Hurricane Irma, adding that he has ''plenty of hooch.'' (CNN)

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Saturday, September 09, 2017

A Key West resident said that, if it becomes difficult to get in or out of the farthest of the Florida Keys for the next several weeks, he'd rather be stuck where he is.

"If the bridge goes out and we're without supplies for a few weeks or a month, I'd much rather be home and on this side of the bridge closing than the other side, where everybody's trying to find a place to live, and fighting for gas, and 10 million people are trying to get back home," John Hines told CNN.

Hines spoke to CNN shortly before that, saying he had an emotional attachment to the island. He said many of his friends are first responders, and they were all waiting out the storm in concrete structures nearby.

"We're in a concrete building in the fourth floor. Storm shutters are closed," he said. "So we're safe. We're above any kind of flood surge. A hurricane's not going to knock down a concrete building. "

Hines said in addition to safe, he felt prepared.

"We have plenty of water, plenty of food, plenty of hooch," he said. "And we're good to go."